It was the middle of summer 2011, and we had seen several days in a row of temperatures in the mid-90s and almost no rain. We were hot, and the talk in the newsroom was to write a story on ways to stay cool.

Through that discussion we realized other than Hickey pool and Lake Dardanelle, there weren’t many public options for minimizing the effect of the nearly unbearable heat we experienced.

We can’t remember who brought up the idea of a splash pad seen in another city, but the idea put a thought in our head to write an editorial about such a project for Russellville. Not that we can take one bit of credit for the execution of the plan or for even floating the idea — we’re just happy the idea came to fruition and relatively quickly.

With a public–private collaboration the splash pad is a reality, with the ribbon cutting Tuesday just in time for some inevitable heat. Credit must be given to the Junior Auxiliary for having the vision of providing a free, safe environment for children to stay cool and be outside during those hot months when the normal reaction is to sit inside and do next to nothing. And credit is due to the city for helping fund the project and for embracing the idea and not letting history dictate our future.

The project moved along faster than planned due to additional funding from private sources as well as the Advertising and Promotions Commission. This truly cooperative project will serve a wide range of children from around the area for years to come.

Kudos all around for a job well done, and add it to the list of recent endeavors that are improving the quality of life in area.